This invention relates generally to newsprint conveyors, and more particularly to improvements in linkage mechanisms employed in conveyors for newspapers, as during the printing process.
Such conveyors utilize successive transverse bars attached to secondary mechanism, to rapidly convey the papers along the conveyor path of travel. Opposite ends of those bars are typically attached to carriers that extend to the bar end locations from linkage elements in a row or series, and are pivotally interconnected. Each carrier is attached to a support by two closely spaced rivets. Over time, it is found that those rivets tend to loosen, due to metal fatigue resulting from rapid and frequent shear loading applications from newspapers, and from linkage travel over rollers and around bends along the conveyor path. Such rivet loosening can result in system failure and/or expensive shutdown, for repair of many and different linkage elements in the conveyor chain. There is need for method and means to alleviate these particular problems.